World Cultures 11

Unit Latin America

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The Amazon Rainforest Internet Assignment

Purpose: This assignments goal is to expose you to basic facts about the Amazon rainforest as well as
introduce you to some of the wildlife and people that live inside it. You will also understand how the rainforest
affects the nations and people of South America and how it is facing unique challenges in the modern world.
Part I (Overview): Use www.worldwildlife.org/places/amazon and follow the directions carefully to
complete this assignment.
1. Review the photograph. Choose one descriptive word (adjective) that comes to mind and explain how it
relates to the image.
Wet- This picture makes me think of the word wet because I see an abundance of rivers and healthy trees.
2. Click on Overview and review the information, including the visuals. List the 8 nations that the
Amazon rainforest is located in.
- Brazil
- Columbia
-

Bolivia

- Venezuela

Peru

Ecuador

- Guyana
- Suriname

3. Click on Forest Habitat and review the information there, including the visuals. A forest can vary based
on several factors. What are these four factors?
- Latitude
- Rainfall
-

Local soil

- prevailing temperatures

4. What makes rainforests special?

They can soak up carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases.
5. Worldwide, how quickly is deforestation occurring? How quickly is it occurring in the Amazon? Use
statistics from the reading to explain your answer.
a. Worldwide 46-58 million square miles of forest is lost each year due to deforestation.
b. Amazon Lost 17% of its forest cover due to human activity in the past half century.
6. Scroll down to the Why They Matter section. Scroll through the three images and review the captions.
List and explain why rainforests matter.
a. Many people around the world rely on forests for hunting and gathering medicine.
b. Forests provide essential resources like the air we breathe and also food.
c. Without forests the eco system supporting the human ecosystem could fall apart due to the
unbalance.
7. Return to the main page (www.worldwildlife.org/places/amazon) and scroll down to the Species section.
Choose three animals found in the Amazon and describe them in the chart.
Animal
Description
Jaguar
Jaguars are very good swimmers and climbers. Hunting opportunities for the
Tiger

jaguar are lost due to deforestation.

The tiger is the largest animal in all Asian cats. Tigers face harsh pressure from

Animal
Gorilla

Description
poaching and deforestation.
Gorillas live in family groups that can have more than 50 in it. Having babies is a

longer process for gorillas which causes a slower increase in population.

Part II (Native Peoples): Use www.survivalinternational.org/about/amazontribes to learn about the native
peoples of the Amazon rainforest.
8. How many people live in the Amazon rainforest, and how are they organized?
About one million people. They are divided into 400 tribes.
9. To what extent have they had contact with outsiders? Explain your response.
Many people who live in the rainforest have had contact with outsiders for about 500 years. Other tribes have
had no contact at all.
10. Create a t-chart that compares and contrasts your daily life with that of the people of the Amazon. Include
at least four points of comparison.
My daily life
People in the Amazon
For food we go to the supermarket and buy it. While
For food, they hunt it and cook it over a fire made by
hunting, men usually use firearms to hunt deer.
hand. Also, they can fish their food out of the water.
These people usually use bows to hunt.
Most people live in one home with their family and
Some tribes are nomadic. Most tribes live away from
stay there.
the rivers.
We have access to any health care and education.
These people have access to Western health care and
education.

11. Why are land rights so important to the Amazon tribes? Read the text and watch the video clip in the Land
= Life section to answer this question.
In Amazonia, many Indians are still being killed due to the invasion of outsiders. Each tribe needs their section
of land because it is not vast. Also, each tribe needs their land because when they die, they can give it to their
children.
12. Do you think most Americans agree with the viewpoint expressed by the woman in the video clip? Explain.
I dont think most Americans agree with the woman because all we care about is using the forest for our
own benefits such as industry and selling wood products.
Part III (Current Challenges): Use www.theguardian.com/environment/amazon-rainforest to research
some of the current challenges facing the Amazon rainforest. Please be mature in handling photographs of
native people, as their dress is quite different from ours!
13. Choose articles that interest you about each of the topics in the chart. Read them and complete the chart.
Challenge
Impact (2 sentences)
Possible Solutions (2 sentences)
Deforestation
Deforestation in Brazil is being caused by
The UN is backing up the plan for reducing
farmers with small holdings. The SEI said

emissions from deforestation and forest

landowners with more than 1,235 acres of

degradation. This provides financial benefits

land were responsible for 48% of

for places trying to protect their forests.

Mining/Drilling

deforestation.
Drilling in the Amazon is considered one of

Petitions have been formed by activists not

the most bio diverse hotspots in the world.

to drill in the Amazon. Although there were

Esperanza Martinez an environmental

petitions, this did not stop efforts to drill.

activist in Ecuador said Petroamozonas

have a bad record when it comes to spilling
Crime

oil.
There is a lot of illegal logged timber in

Brazil intends to use documents, latitude,

Brazil. Brazil says this is a huge problem

and the areas of volume to catch the people

when it comes to deforestation.

responsible for this. Brazils prime suspect is

Jewson.

14. Go to edition.cnn.com/2013/07/25/sport/football/football-brazil-world-cup-manaus/index.html and

review the article there. What challenges did the rainforest pose for Brazil in its efforts to prepare for the
2014 World Cup?
The Rio Negro and Amazon River meet at one point, but they do not mix. They have different temperatures,
speeds, and acid levels.
15. How did the regions emphasis on environmental protection influence the stadium project?
The amazon is the stadiums backyard. The emphasis on environmental protection influenced many people
from the Amazon to come to the stadium.